Hoist-traveler-centering device



IRWIN ID. LANDS, OE SUTH BEND, ENDIANA, ASSIGNOE T0 NVERSL CVGNVEYOF- CO., 0F SOUTH BEND, INDlCANA, ACORPORATIQN OF NDfahl'f.g

HOIST-TBIAVELER-CENTERING DEV 10E.

application inea april 1,

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, IRWIN D. Leners, a citizen of the Unitedr States, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hoist-Travel yeler-@entering Devices,vof which the following is a specilicatio The invention relates to centering devices for travelers movable on a track cable and has for its object to provide in connection' with a track cable, a section of track cable disposed above a pit or the like, and provided with slack, which slack allows the traveler to properly center itself and the bucket carried thereby over the pit in such a position that when the bucket is lowered by its hoisting cable, it will enter the pit. Heretofore the proper centering of the bucket so that it will enter the pit has been a matter of guess work and consequently a great dealof time is lost when the bucket does not properly register with the pit when it is lowered, and requires the stationing of a workman adjacent the pit to guide the bucket into the pit as it is lowered. rlherefore one of the objects of the invention is to eliminate this eXtra workman and to provide means whereby the traveler and bucket will be quickly and properly centered in relation to the pit by the weight of the taveler and bucket by a slack section of cable disposed above the pit.

A further object is to provide adjustingr means whereby the slack in the cable section disposed above the pit may be varied.

l/Vith the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within thc scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of' the invention.

In the drawings Figure l is a side elevation of the supporting means for a track cable, and the slack track cable section at one end thereof, shown ing the traveler and the bucket carried thereby, said bucket being shown in a pit.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the traveler, showing the same centered on the section of slack track cable.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 1921. Serial No. 457,583.

designates a pit. Above said pit is a tower 2, the upper end of which is disposed to the outside of the pit l. Rising upwardly from adjacent the inner side of the pit l is a post 3, tothe upper end ofwhich issecured'as at Il in any suitable manner, a saddle 5, to which saddle is secured yat' 6 the trackcable 7, on which track cable, a'conventional'form of traveler 8 is adapted to move; The track cable 7 is secured and supported in any suit-able manner toa tower 9 and may lead to any suitable source, for instance adjacent a coal pile. Track cable 7 has its portion l0 beyond the securing point 6 disposed over the pit l and is provided with slack, whereby when the traveler 8 passes over the saddle 5 and onto said slack portion l0 of the cable. the weight of the traveler and its bucket 1l will, cause the traveler and bucket when the traction cable 12 is slacked to immediately assume a position in vertical alignment with' the pit l, thereby so positioning the bucket l1 that when the hoisting cable 13 is slack, said bucket will enter the mouth of the pit l without engaging its sides. lThe present practice is to station a workman adjacent f cent the pit to signal the operator of the hoisting and traction cables relative to the manipulation of the same. However by providing the slack section 10 disposed over the pit l, this loss kof time and eXtra labor is obviated. The end of the slack section l0 of the cable 7 is swivelly connected at 14 to lan adjusting screw 15. by means of which screw the amount of slack in the slack section 10 may be varied, there being nuts 16 for preventing rotation of the screw 15 after it has been properly adjusted.

From the above it will be seen that a traveler and bucket centering device. is provided which is simple in construction land one wherein the operation is positive and the bucket may be easily and quickly centered by the operator from a distance, thereby obviating loss of time and extra labor, The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful ris:--- j l. The combination with a track cable having. a traveler carried bucket thereon, a pit adjacent and below the end of the track `having .a pit disposed, loeloiv thetraclr cable adjacable1v of ineane Por centering Said traveler and, bucket adjacent the end of the track cable and in vertical alignment with the pit, said means comprising a section of slack calile onto Whichthe traveler .passes after cent one end thereoiof means for centering,- saicl traveler and bucket allieve said. pit and .in `vertical ali gnrnent therewith7V said means 'comprising' 4.which the traveler. passes from the. track calole` said section of slack a sectionfo'f slack calole onto cableA being clisy.pose-cl above ,the A.pit and .having its ends a track cablev anchored at opposite sides of the pit and equiclistant in relation to tlleopposile sides thereof.

'3. The combination with a track cable having a--hneliet thereon and` a pit disposed beneath thetraclr cable` at one end thereof, oi means Jfor centering said traveler and hucketaloove said pit and in vertical alignment therewith, said means comprising a section of track cable having its ends an chored and onto Which lthe traveler' passes from the track. cable', said section ,of slack cable ,being disposed above the pitland having its center or slack in vertical'alignment with the centerof the pit, anclfa'cljusting screw means for varying the amount of slaclr in the slackl calole.

In testimony whereof I aliX my signature.

"RWN' l), LANDlS. 

